FORTE 9 Documentation

Metric Divisions Example

Metric Divisions Example

The samples below illustrate several beaming patterns one may achieve with the same notes and the same displayed meter. All 4 samplesUse a meter that has 4 quarter notes in a measure, and all meters are displayed as the normal 4/4 meter.

Example A really is a genuine 4/4 meter, where the default is to beam 8th notes into 2 groups of 4.

In Example B, the meter is really a (1+1+1+1)/4 meter, which causes the 8th notes to be beamed with each beat. This changes the beaming patterns in every measure that is affected by the meter.

Example C shows the effects of a (1+2+1)/4 meter, with the first and last beats in each measure separate from the middle two beats.

Example D shows how a (1+4+2+1)/8 meter affects the beaming decisions. Note that we've actually changed the underlying beat in this sample -- it's now an 8th note instead of a quarter note.

The actual value of the meter is what ultimately affects how many notes can be added to a measure, but the displayed value can be anything. WhenUsed in combination with hidden symbols, this feature makes it possible to create pickup measures and measures which cross systems, among other things.